Hi islamabadguy,
I'm assuming that your are referring to a
permanent residency (PR) visa (such as the 189/190 subclasses described on
SkillSelect). If you fulfill the requirements, score at least 60 points on the points test and get an invite - sure, you can apply while in Australia on a 457! Read up on the requirements for points tested visas on SkillSelect or in
DIAC Booklet 6.
One
advantage of applying onshore: Once you lodge the application you automatically apply for a bridging visa as well. This means, if your 457 visa ceases before the visa decision is made, you can lawfully stay in Australia and wait for the decision. However, this does not apply if your visa is
canceled, meaning if you quit your job with the oil company you won't get a bridging visa. It's more relevant for people whose 457 visa stay is close to the 4-year mark. Otherwise I don't think there is much difference in processing.
The
estimated processing times from DIAC are the same for onshore and offshore applicants for points tested visas (6-12 months depending on the subclass). However, security checks and referred medicals can cause a significant delay. Pakistani applicants often face long waits due to the security checks. And you'd have to get an
invite to apply for the visa first.
This works in the following way: You take a language test and get your skills assessed. You calculate your points in the points test (based on age, education level, language skills etc.). If you can score 50+ points you put in an
Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect. You need 60+ to get an invite by DIAC but states/regions can nominate you for a 190 or 489 (provisional) visa, which gives you an extra 5 or 10 points. With sponsorship you should get an immediate invite, independent applicants (=189 hopefuls) are ranked by 1.) points and 2.) submission/last change date of the EOI. Once a certain planning level (=
occupation ceiling) for an occupation group is reached, no more invitations are issued during that financial year, so your EOI can sit in the system for months if the ceiling caps. For example, a maximum of 750 Mining Engineers will get an invitation this financial year. There is no guarantee to get an invite.
Cheers,
Monika